Transgenders In Andhra To Get Pension, Houses

Visakhapatnam: The Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday announced a slew of welfare measures for transgenders, including a monthly pension of Rs 1,000.

Apart from pension, transgenders would be given ration cards and houses, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said at a two-day conference of district collectors here tonight.

“We need to create employment opportunities for transgenders so that they can be a self-sustainable community,” he said. He asked the district collectors to take required steps in this regard.

Andhra Pradesh has joined a select group of states which has announced welfare measures for the members of the third gender. In a landmark judgement delivered in April 2014, the Supreme Court recognised transgenders as the third category of gender and directed the Centre and states to grant them all facilities, including voters ID, passport and driving licence.

The Centre and states were also directed to take steps for bringing the community into the mainstream by providing adequate healthcare, education and employment.